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Berkeley - Great experience. Ready to be scaled up?

Greetings from Berkeley. 6
weeks have gone already. Very intensive and productive time. My
graduate seminar has absorbed quite a bit of energy but has been extremely
rewarding. Competent and motivated students, rich discussions, great learning, for me as well. Also interesting to explore linkages with the
curriculums of other UC Berkeley courses that deal with international development. The
duration of my course was extended to cover more topics. I gave additional talks at the Master of Development Practice, the course
ofSustainable Development in Latin America and the course of Political Economy of Hunger.
I also received an invitation to talk at the course of Global Poverty and
Practice. All this triggered by the tam tam made by the students. Only problem is that
additional courses mean additional students… Many leave the
talks eager to have follow-up conversations. Several of them
inquire about internship opportunities. All this takes time. Tomorrow I am asked to speak before 100
students who want to know how UN agencies work and I know that it will not be
easy to manage expectations.

Few professors approached me
enquiring why my graduate seminar seems so popular. One told me: "I am really jealous". The answer is simple:
students, graduate students in particular, want to connect to real life
endeavors and to what development agencies are doing. They want
to know both success stories and the difficulties and failures that we
experience. (In this regard last week’s FailFaire came at the most appropriate
time. Well done). They want to know what are the enabling conditions
that can generate results and impact and where they can make the difference. This is great!

The preliminary conclusions I would draw are the following: i) there is an unmet demand in
academies for practical experience; ii) IFAD can contribute to meet this demand by sharing its experience;iii) there are young talents out there who are willing to make the difference and deserve an
opportunity to show what they can do.Perhaps we can discuss during a lunchtime seminar upon my return to
Rome if and how this experience can be institutionalized. In the meantime, please let me know if anyone is interested to offer
internship opportunities.